Ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation of splenic metastasis: Report of four cases and literature review

Figures & data

Figure 1. Transverse contrast-enhanced CT scans in a 55-year-old woman with ovarian carcinoma metastasis. (A) Preablation scan showed one hypoattentuating neoplasm (arrows) near the hilum. (B) Scan obtained 9 months after the first ablation shows hypoattenuating ablation zone (arrows) without enhancement. The needle track was cauterized as the probe was removed, resulting in the subcapsular triangle-shaped thermal lesion (arrowheads). (C) Scan obtained 32 months after the second ablation shows hypoattenuating ablation zone (arrows) without enhancement corresponding to treated region.

Figure 2. Transverse contrast-enhanced CT scans in the 56-year-old woman with lung adenocarcinoma metastasis. (A) Preablation scan showed one solitary neoplasm (arrow) with low attenuation and peripheral enhancement at the lower pole of the spleen. (B) On an arterial phase CT scan obtained 28 months after treatment no enhancement is seen in the enlarged coagulation zone (arrows), suggesting the absence of residual tumour.

Table I.  Clinical features and outcomes of the four patients.

Characteristic	1	2	3	4
Age	55	56	56	32
Sex	F	F	M	M
Primary tumour site	ovary	lung	stomach	liver
Splenic neoplasm
Number	2	1	1	1
Site	Hilum: upper pole	lower pole	lower pole	upper pole
Size (cm)	1.3 × 1.1, 2.3 × 1.8	1.6 × 1.4	2.5 × 2.3	2.9 × 2.7
Ablation power (W)	60	60	60	60
Ablation time (s)	1030,780	960	540	600
Applicator number	1, 2	1	2	2
Ablation session	1, 1	1	1	1
Local tumour progression	No	No	No	No
Survival	Yes	Yes	No	No
Follow up (month)	43	28	4	13